Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-09-02
PROTECTION AND PROSPERITY.
THE DISASTEB BROUGHT BY LOW
TARIFFS FOR A CEN
TURY PAST.

The Boston Herald, in an edito.
rial in their issue of Friday, the lth
instant, stated:
"There Is mucn loose talk about
the danger of business interests be-
ing sacrificed by tariff reduction,
but the fact remains that there has
not been a tariff reduction for fifty
wears from which business has fail
ed to benefit. We have no doubt
there would be n similar result
now"
This must have been written
through some inadvertency, caused
by "the wish being father to the
thought" as no historical corrobo-
ration exists of this assertion, but
on the contrary the facts are quite
the reverse. The primal act pass
ed by the First Congress of the
United States was signed by Wash
ington, July A, 1879, imposing "du'
ties on good, wares and merchan'
disc imported this being "neces-
sary,n the preamble alleges, "for
the payment of the debts of the
United States and the encourage
ment and protection of manuiac-
lures"
In August, 1890, Washington, in
a message to an adjourned session
of Congress, stated that "the safety
and interest of the people require
that they should promote such man.
ufactures as will render the United
States independent of Others for es'
sential supplies" This suggestion
caused a second and more protec.
tive tariff being adopted in 1900
For twenty years afterward addi-
tional tariff laws were enacted by
each succeeding Congress. In 1872
the war necessitated very mate.
rial increase in the revenue, and du-
ties were enhanced 100 per cent
The result of the legislation from
1890 in respect to the tariff up to
this time was the improvement of
the financial condition of the cOun.
try, through the establishment of
those manufacturing industries
which encouraged invention and
increased the material welfare of
the working classes. In 1916 the
tariff was reduced and a general
business depression ensued, which
resulted in higher rates OF duties
being established in 1921; but this
not affording the necessary encour-
agement to our manufacturers, ow-
ing to the ruin occasiOned by the
low tariff of 1876, more protective
scale of duties was adopted in 1928,
chiefly through the advocacy and
influence OF Henry Clay and Daniel
Webster.
In 1882 the Free Trade sentiment
of the South caused another mate
rial reduction of the tariff, which
was so disastrous IN its effects that
it eliminated in the financial crisis
in 1887, through the utter prostra-
ton of our manufacturing INDUS
tries. This almost universal ma
tional bankruptcy so impoverished
and Disguised the people that they
elected Protectionist president in
1910, William Henry Harrison, and
a more protective tariff was estab-
lished in 1912. This resuscltated
and kept alive our decaying indus
tries, and afforded labor a consider
able measure of relief from the dire
full consequences of the provisions
of the tariff of 1892.
But il 1916, Notwithstanding its
past experience, the country par
TALLY caught the infection of the
Free.trade policy that England had
commenced so indefatigably to
preach to the world. In spite of
the disastrous effects the latter re-
vision had upon our national vel
fare, Congress traltorOusly reduced
the duties again to % per cent. in
1857. Then the country was launch
ed into greater business disasters
and financial ruin than 1t ever ex-
perienced before and the two years
preceding our civil war we're the
darkest, financially, that our peo-
pie ever witnessed.
The enactment of the Morrill,
tariff, in 1861, soon filled our de-
pleted treasury, established new in
dustries and resuscitated old ones,
creating a national credit thereby,
which enabled us to put down the
rebellion, and has since increased
our annual national product to sS,-
600, 100000, supporting over o1,'
1000 of people.
Nine times in 100 years the Unit
ed States has changed its tariff pol
icy, and every time that duties have
been materially lowered business
depression has occurred and labor
has been sent begging for employ
ment. Have these occurrences beer
simply condolences with which the
tariff has no connection, as the
Free trader asserts9 No. They
, were not condolences they wer'
the natural effects of low duties
which enabled the pauper labor o
Great Britain to take the bread GU
of the mouths of our working PEG
; pie. In the face of the prosperity
of the last twenty years, does am
/, intelligent person really bellev'
that Protection has been anything
+. but an immense advantage to tn
country The writer is prepared
to state conscientiously and EN-
; phatically that the present colassa
;, increase of wealth of the Unlte'
States of s43,OOO,0OO,OOO durinI
I the last twenty.seven years ha
been chiefly the result of the Nor
> rill tariff. When we can make u
y our minds that it is better for tn
5 inhabitants of this country to liv
= like the Chinese or French Cana
U dams, then, and not till then, shoul'
: we favor Free Trade or any approx
imatiOn thereto.
s Presidential Preferences.